P-plater fails to learn his lesson

P-PLATER Justin Burns was criticised in Lismore Local Court for having too many traffic offences while still being a provisional driver after being caught drink-driving for the second time.

Burns, 25, an air-conditioner repairman of Goonellabah, pleaded guilty to drink-driving (special category driver) after being caught driving his Nissan Navara ute along Ballina Road in Lismore at 5.45pm on March 26.

Stopped and tested by police at an RBT, Burns gave a blood/alcohol reading of 0.035 .

Under NSW legislation, provisional and learner drivers are not permitted to have any alcohol in their system.

Burns told police he drank three stubbies of beer at his workplace and had not eaten any food at the time.

Defence lawyer Vince Boss asked for sentencing to be adjourned to allow his client to attend a traffic offender program.

After consulting Burns’ police record of previous traffic offences, Magistrate Robyn Denes said the matter was ‘a bit concerning’ because Burns was still not off his P-plates and it was his second drink-driving offence.